I seem to out run my kite when riding down the line on waves. This forces me to turn out of the pocket to get tension back in the lines. It doesn't help that my spot has light winds near shore. Any tips?

wedge wrote:I seem to out run my kite when riding down the line on waves. This forces me to turn out of the pocket to get tension back in the lines. It doesn't help that my spot has light winds near shore. Any tips?

Any other tips on wave riding appreciated!

Depends on what you like to do...

When you say "in the pocket" - you have almost revealed that you ride downwind on the waveface ?

Whereas, you could also stay in the sweetspot on the shoulder, and ride up and down (still using the wave force).

Doing this, you avoid the slack lines, but it takes a loooong time to get it right, and you can always improve more (a good thing, keeps it interesting).

If light wind and bigger kites, you have to make sharper turns so you go even more vertical, and a bit longer - in order to keep lines tight.And fly the kite down really low and fast - this way you got all options and full freedom (when you've learned to master the kite instantly of course) to change direction and whatever you like

But you can NOT ride on the wave power alone if light - you have to use both the wave power, and do your bottom turn down in the flats, so the kite will fill out the "blanks" so to speak.Awesome feel though, just a bit different - and you can really have a crazy awesome time in light wind doing it this way.

So try to avoid riding "steady" on the wave - go vertical up and down instead.And fly the kite really low and aggressive, if light - is my advice

cant afford a 'drifter' (very low aspect ratio w skinny struts)...but isnt it really just a myth?Any steep drop worth its salt down wind will stall a kite... besides wouldnt a fly surfer be the best 'drifter?'

NYKiter wrote:cant afford a 'drifter' (very low aspect ratio w skinny struts)...but isnt it really just a myth?Any steep drop worth its salt down wind will stall a kite... besides wouldnt a fly surfer be the best 'drifter?'

Not just a myth...

Some kites are better balanced than others - so they actually "drift" with full slack lines, without fronttucking (stalling) or backstalling - and you can "catch" the kite again later.

There is IMO no reason to believe that low AR kites (nor the struts) are better drifters - but because those using kites "drifting", typically have the kite higher, and they dont want any sudden spikes in the power, like higher AR kites can give - but prefer a constant pull (or no pull) And easy to turn a low AR kite on a dime too, besides the fast relaunch that can save your ass.

Some of the early bow kites are excellent drifters - so a drift kite, and a wave kite, and an "aggressive" wavekite are totally different things.

wedge wrote:I seem to out run my kite when riding down the line on waves. This forces me to turn out of the pocket to get tension back in the lines. It doesn't help that my spot has light winds near shore. Any tips?

Any other tips on wave riding appreciated!

If you are out running the kite it sounds like you are turning in before you have initiated the kite to turn.

This is mostly toward NYKiter because he mentioned how any good drop you'll out run your kite, and about his comment of Flysurfers.

Here's my experiences with flysurfer and Peter Lynn kites on the wave.I have full quivers of both, and I in general prefer the flysurfer's for 80% of the time.I've ridden since 2000 and have always been surfing, so I've ridden all kinds of tubes to give you my history. But I've never ridden a "modern" 2010 or so specially designed wave tube kite, so can't compare there.

But the Peter Lynn's (I'm on Venoms and Synergies) drift insane. When you slack the PL, they flex out and SLOWLY start a fall, but in the exact position that you left it. It's so stable in the fall because of the weight distribution. Someone explained it on the arc uses forum, by saying it's the slight weight of the spars symmetrically pulling the kite from "behind".The only way I can describe it is it's like the most well trained dog off a leash!

Flysurfers do float really well, but work best for smallish waves. Because their weight is completely semetrical they sometimes fold a bit. Which is not always a problem, but in big waves when you need that immediate "bail out", it's not the perfect dog up there just waiting for you.